Let’s get a beet

enjoying one of the more polarizing root veg

Beets. I think they are so delicious, but find that people steer away from them at the market or store. Beets (or beetroot) come in multiple colors that each have slightly unique flavors. They are topped by glorious greens that look verdant and rich.

And if the first taste you have of a beet is raw beet or green, you will like have a flat mineral taste left in your mouth and never want to try it again.

Or you tasted a canned beet (possibly pickled) and thought it was less than wonderful… unlike me. ;-)… In fact, I have fond memories of eating S&W canned pickled beets as a toddler. Which possibly explains a lot.

But beets, and beet greens can be a lovely part of your regular meal planning. They are not expensive, very nutritive, and when you balance the flavors with the right cooking style, they are delicious. And on that, you will have to trust me, until you try a recipe or two that we will recommend here.

Beets, like almost all modern vegetables, have been altered to make them more appealing to humans. Originally is it thought that beets were just the greens that grew naturally near the sea and were treated like we treat chard today. About 500 years ago, it was cultivated and eventually became the plant we know today with big roots of multiple colors and a distinct sweetness. Yes, I did say sweetness. In fact, 20% of sugar sold in the world today is from beets. It is also used as a dye - those red beets can stain!

If you are not fond of beets, I suggest you start with golden beets which happen to be in season now and pretty much all year round here in Northern California. They are sweeter, milder and less staining than the red variety and yes, the skin is more orange the gold, but the interior is a luscious deep yellow. You can roast them and then peel and eat them just as is or use that roasted beet in salads, soups, as a main attraction with some lovely greens and cheese, in a savory pie or frittata, and more. Chiogga and red beets can be treated the same way.

But don’t forget the greens. You can use them just like chard in every recipe, or along side chard or kale or even carrot tops.

Caring for and Roasting your Beets

When you bring the beets home, cut off the greens. That will keep both the greens and roots the freshest. Store them both separately in your product drawer until you are ready to use them.

The greens will last 4 to 5 days, even longer if you keep them wrapped in a damp paper towel or thin kitchen towel inside a plastic bag. The roots will last a couple of weeks, at least.

When you are ready to roast the beets, clean them under cool running water. Don’t cut them, just dab them dry, rub some olive oil over them, wrap them individually in aluminum foil, put them on a baking sheet, and cook them at 400 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until a fork goes through the middle of the beet easily. The older and larger the beet, the longer it will need.

Remove them from the oven. Carefully unwrap. Let them cool slightly. When you are able to handle them (about 5 minutes later), the easiest way to skin them is to chop off the skinny part of the root and rub the skins off with a paper towel (or a rough dishtowel you don’t mind getting stained). The skins will come right off if they are cooked enough.

Enjoy as is, or put it into a recipe like below.

I love this preparation of golden beets but I would use your beet greens rather than swiss chard. Try it out and let me know your thoughts via email or on IG or Mastodon.

And if you want to geek out a bit more… For more fun facts about beets, check out this article or this history of beets.